SUMMARY: The Federal Medical Assistance Percentage and Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages for Fiscal Year 1999 have been calculated pursuant to the Social Security Act (the Act). These percentages will be effective from October 1, 1998 through September 30, 1999. This notice announces the calculated "Federal Medical Assistance Percentages" and "Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages" that we will use in determining the amount of Federal matching in State medical and medical insurance expenditures and for the annual reconciliation of contingency funds under Title IV-A. The table gives figures for each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Programs under title XIX of the Act exist in each jurisdiction; programs under titles I, X, and XIV operate only in Guam and the Virgin Islands; while a program under title XVI (AABD) operates only in Puerto Rico. Programs under title XXI are new, beginning in 1998. The percentages in this notice apply to State expenditures for assistance payments, medical services and medical insurance services (except family planning which is subject to a higher matching rate). The statute provides separately for Federal matching of administrative costs. Sections 1905(b) and 2105(b) of the Act, as revised by section 9528 of Pub. L. 99-272, require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish these percentages each year. The Secretary is to figure the percentages, by formulas in sections 1905(b) and 2105(b) of the Act, from the Department of Commerce's statistics of average income per person in each State and in the Nation as a whole. The percentages are within upper and lower limits given in those two sections of the Act. The statute specifies the percentages to be applied to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The "Federal percentages," for residual payments under the old Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, will no longer be published. Anyone who needs these values may call the contact person named below and receive them. If a sufficient number of persons call, we may publish them again beginning in 2000. The "Federal medical assistance percentages" are for Medicaid. States may claim at the Federal medical assistance percentage without regard to any maximum on the dollar amounts per recipient which may be counted under paragraph (2) of sections 3(a), 1003(a), and 1403(a) of the Act. They will also be used for the annual reconciliation of any Contingency funds received under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

The "Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages" are for use in the new Children's Health Insurance Program under Title XXI, and for some or all of children's medical assistance under the new Medicaid sections 1905(u)(2) and 1905(u)(3).

DATES: The percentages listed will be effective for each of the 4 quarter-year periods in the period beginning October 1, 1998 and ending September 30, 1999.

* For purposes of section 1118 of the Social Security Act, the percentage used under titles I, X, XIV, and XVI and Part A of title IV will be 75 per centrum.

** For 1998, 1999, and 2000, the values in the table were set for state plans under Titles XIX and XXI and for capitation payments and DSH allotments under those titles. For other purposes, including programs remaining in Title IV of the Act, the percentage for Alaska is 52.26% and for the District of Columbia is 50.00%.

Survey Disclaimer

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0990-0379. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, OS/OCIO/PRA, 200 Independence Ave., S.W., Suite 336-E, Washington D.C. 20201, Attention: PRA Reports Clearance Officer.